"I also want to tell you about an amazing autobiographical manuscript I read, All the Pretty Shoes by a very unassuming writer, Marianne R. Klein who, at 12, saved her life from the Nazi's by inserting herself into a pile of her executed neighbors and friends. As an orphaned fugitive of WWII, she was exposed to rape and murder. On the way to America via Montreal Canada, she became a teenage mother, a dance instructor and a fashion model. What's extraordinary about Marianne is that through all this turmoil, she never stopped believing in and looking for true love. How many people could hold such an ideal in their hearts given the life she lead. And yes, she found her soul mate! Against all odds and reason! It's a lovely book, not grim at all and about so much more than war and oppression. Only a valiant and determined woman could keep ideal love as the goal of her life. It's well written. Marianne has studied creative writing at UCLA where this ms has been very highly praised and has, lately, done UCLA's Writer's Boot Camp for Screenplays. You'd be the perfect publisher for her, Nancy. Your insight into the writing of women would make her very comfortable. As I said, she's unassuming. And funny, and still beautiful."
I read the manuscript the Friday night I received it... brought it to bed with me and fell asleep after closing the last page, with tears in my eyes. I signed her immediately as our first 2011 release, and found a brilliant UK artist's painting for the cover.
This weekend I received the author's photos. I was breathless, and actually shook as I flipped through generations of sepia photos, the actual photos. I smelled them, I held them, I can't believe the Universe brought this experience to me, this writer, this book, this journey...
